Albin Counter Gambit!

Does anyone know any good sources on the internet for the Albin Counter Gambit?  I'm sure there are many things on the net, but I'm hoping someone knows of some good sources so I can stay away from BS.  I'm not interested in playing this gambit, but I like playing the Queen's Gambit.  Someone threw this at me and lost.  Actually, the computer said the moves were book moves for maybe 10 turns (or more) until I hung my queen!  I actually got a nice tactical shot later and got rid of their rooks and equalized, but my position was shot and the queen started to do rude things to me.  I don't remember what game it was, but it was within the last month.

Know any good books on the Queen's Gambit?  I'm sure there are tons of them, but I'm looking for recommendations.

Mattew Sadlers book (http://www.amazon.com/Queens-Gambit-Declined-Matthew-Sadler/dp/1857442563) is generally considered the best book for lower rated players (upto 2100) about the queensgambit declined. It not only has the moves but also explains why they should be played. Highly recommanded.

If you are afraid of the Albins counter gambit I suggest the line explained by Kiril Georiev in squezing the gambits. It is a fairly easy to learn system that with the best play for black leads to a very comfy endgame for white.

I`m still awaiting for someone who will demonstrate White`s advantage after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.a3 Nge7!?.

Speaking on position after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Bg4 6. Nbd2 (6.b4!?) Qe7 7. h3 Bh5 (7...Bxf3 8.Nxf3 0-0-0 9.Qd3 f6!? seems to be not so bad for Black ) 8. Qa4 O-O-O 9. b4 Kb8 10. Bb2

Powerlevel_9001 says "i dont think think black can dream about equality". I would not be so sure about it. Black has 2 good options:

1) taking pawn back with 10...Nxe5 as White can`t take on d4. 

2) playing real gambit with 10...f6 11.exf6 Nxf6 with good compensation due to space advantage and advantage in development.

Hi Pasifique,

I consider 6. b4!? stronger because it gives black fewer option but i think in the position you show white is better.

The reasons why b4 is better

• In some variations the c1 bishop is not  blocked
• In some variations the pawn on d4 is hanging

Please see the game between gelfand and rajabov below as an example how white can deal with your setup. 

Also note how white spares out the h3 tempo as long as he can in this variation.

Oww and for Ne7 .. i agree it might be blacks best try

@moonie

"i think in the position you show white is better"

I disagree. Show me variations to prove me wrong.

"Please see the game between gelfand and rajabov below as an example how white can deal with your setup"

After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Bg4 6. b4 Qe7 7. Nbd2 O-O-O 8. Bb2 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 Bg6 12. Bg2

Black is not obliged to play 12...Nf6. 12...Qe6 (with idea of 13...d3) seems to be much better alternative.

5.a3(!) does not refute the Albin, but it grants white a very secure positional advantage at no risk. The variations posted by moonnie are mostly correct.

12...Qe6 above is a good move, but Black still has many problems to solve after 13.Qa4 d3 14.e3 Kb8 15.0-0. Both sides will love to attack, but white's attack seems being much faster.

After 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Nge7 6. b4 Ng6 7. Bb2 a5 8. b5 Ncxe5 9. Qxd4 Qxd4 10. Bxd4 Nxc4 11. e3 Nd6 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13.a4

Black is not obliged to play passive moves like 13...f6. 13...Nf5 is obviously better choice.

@pacique: Black cannot really avoid f6 because the a1-h8 diagonal has to be closed in some way. After Nf5 white can calmly play Bc3 and still have a nice positional advantage.

Starting out: the Queens Gambit by John Shaw is a good overall guide that covers all variations including some of the more uncommon tries like the albin and the baltic defence 2...Bf5. If youre ok on the main lines theres also Unusual Queens Gambit Declined by Chris Ward.

@moonie

Black cannot really avoid f6 because the a1-h8 diagonal has to be closed in some way. After Nf5 white can calmly play Bc3 and still have a nice positional advantage.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Nge7 6. b4 Ng6 7. Bb2 a5 8. b5 Ncxe5 9. Qxd4 Qxd4 10. Bxd4 Nxc4 11. e3 Nd6 12. Nbd2 Bd7 13.a4 Nf5 14.Bc3 Bb4!

Give me the lines leading to clear advantage for White.

In the previous position on Qe6 the answer Qa4 and Bd5 seems a good idea while on Nf6 the simple Nf3 seems strong because the d4 pawn cannot be protected anymore in the end.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. a3 Bg4 6. b4 Qe7 7. Nbd2 O-O-O 8. Bb2 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Qxe5 10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 Bg6 12. Bg2 Qe6 13. Qa4 d3 14. e3 Kb8

The position seems to be very complicated. For example 15.Bd5 creates no problems for Black after 15...Qe8!. 15.0-0 seems to be the most testing move, and after 15...Ne7 16.Bd4 Nc8 17.c5 h5 the position may be better for White, but it`s far from "positional advantage at no risk". In OTB at least.

Position 1: After 15. Rc1 - Ba3 16. Rc2 - 0-0 17. Bd3 it seems to me white has a more pleasant position. Black has weaknesses on the half open c-file and a5 he has no counter play to compensate. Like i said ... a3 is not winning it gives a pleasant position

Position 2: It seems indeed (accoording my comp) that black is almost equal. I would still rather play white because i think that in the end white will gain the d3 pawn. The computer seems to like 10. Nb3 .. so perhaps advantage can be found in that line.

Black's position in the last diagram is not terribly appetizing.

White should reject the computer's first suggestion (10.Nb3) which is not clear, and opt for the simple 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Bg6 12.Bg2 line, which game black quite a bit of trouble in a Gelfand- Radjabov game.

In the first one, Black has to work quite a bit to get a draw after the simple 15.Bxb4 ab4 16.Bd3. It may not be a big advantage, but there's nothing pleasant about defending such positions as Black.

I dont think these positions are not so simple to claim that it`s so impossible for White to make inaccuracies allowing Black to have initiative. If we don`t play ICCF games of course.

What to do after 5... Be6? I had a game, which was drawn although I had the initiative.

I played e3, exchanged queens. Is there anything better?

Hi Archer

I would suggest Ndb2

@Pacifique nobody said it would be a refutation of the albins. It is just an annoying move that gives white a very good chance for a small but long lasting advantage. I think 9 out of 10 Albin players would much rather face g3.

I`ve faced 5.a3 many times (it seems to be no less popular than 5.g3, during last years) and have no reason to complain about results as these positions give White a lot of practical chances to lose his small advantage.